


Yours Most Sincerely

by LadyNorbert



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Cute, Divine Leliana, F/M, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Letters, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-01-31 19:03:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12688323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNorbert/pseuds/LadyNorbert
Summary: After the end of the main game and the Jaws of Hakkon DLC, Professor Kenric returns to the University of Orlais. A short while later, Scout Harding gets a letter she wasn't expecting.





	Yours Most Sincerely

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MiraMira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiraMira/gifts).



> This is one of the cutest pairings in the whole darn Dragon Age canon, so I was excited to have an excuse to write them! I hope it passes muster. Thanks to AuroraBorealia and sweettasteofbitter for beta reading!

* * *

  **Yours Most Sincerely**

* * *

 

 

Skyhold was prone to receiving, and sending, all manner of curious messages. Sometimes these were carried by the spymaster’s keen-eyed birds, who bore small paper scrolls bound to their legs. Other correspondence, either too large or too heavy for the birds or too important to risk possible interception, were entrusted to the hands of certain Inquisition scouts, who understood the dangers they faced by carrying such weighty matters. Only Leliana’s bravest, quickest, and most trustworthy agents were burdened in this manner.

The third sort of message, which were important only for the individuals sending or receiving them, were the personal letters and tokens of affection sent between friends and relations. These were put into the hands of ordinary runners, who knew the surest paths leading into the Hinterlands or down the far side of the Frostbacks, and could pass them off to other couriers to be carried the rest of the way to their destinations. Responses were brought back by the same troop of messengers, who were always eager to escape the frigid mountain air and spend a little time within the mysteriously temperate grounds of the remote castle.

Lace Harding, on those occasions when she was in Skyhold, always liked to watch the arrival of the third kind of message. Mostly she enjoyed seeing the expressions on the faces of those receiving them. Master Dennet always broke into a quiet smile when a care package made its way to his stable from the distant farm in the Hinterlands; he rarely spoke of it, but he missed his wife and daughter. Cabot the bartender occasionally had a letter from a cousin who also tended bar, and she sometimes wondered if they traded stories to tell the patrons. Madame de Fer seemed to have an almost constant stream of letters from her fellow Orlesian courtiers, and she apparently considered it her sacred duty to answer these as rapidly as possible. Varric, on the other hand, used most of _his_ letters in odd craft projects, although at least once a month there came a letter whose return address was nothing but a sketch of the sun; those, he would actually read. The Inquisitor too had a small parade of messages, usually from the Free Marches, and in recent weeks there had been a flurry of congratulatory messages for Leliana, who would soon be crowned Divine.

For her own part, letters were few and far between. Her mother wrote fairly often, all things considered, but since she was so busy she didn’t always have the time to write back. There wasn’t anyone else from whom she ever had reason to expect a missive; most of her social circle, such as it was, existed within the Inquisition.

It came, therefore, as quite the surprise when Leliana summoned her to the rookery and, eyes twinkling, presented her with a formal-looking envelope of hot-pressed paper from the University of Orlais. “This just arrived a short time ago,” said the almost-former spymaster, “and is addressed to you.”

Sure enough, so it was. The script across the front of the envelope was almost hesitant, as though the writer was making a concerted effort to treat her name respectfully. It could only be from one person, she realized, cheeks flushing; there was only one person in all of Thedas who had ever in her life called her _Lady Harding_. The address accounted for Leliana’s amusement.

“It’s from Professor Kenric,” Harding said, turning the object over in her hands. “I… I wasn’t expecting to hear from him so soon.”

“But you _were_ expecting to hear from him?” Leliana’s voice took on a slightly giddy quality that Harding never would have expected. She sounded almost young, in a way that she rather thought the future Divine had probably not sounded in a very long time.

“Well, sort of… I mean, after the whole business with the Hakkonites was concluded in the Basin, there wasn’t too much reason for him to stay. The truth about Inquisitor Ameridan became known, and all that. He had all the material he needed for his research to present to the university, and we helped him and his people pack up and get ready to go home.” Harding rubbed the back of her neck. “And he said he would write to me after he got back to the University.”

“I won’t intrude on your privacy and ask you to read the letter in front of me.” Leliana chuckled. “But do let me know if the good professor needs anything from the Inquisition. I know the Inquisitor was quite favorably impressed with him. A ‘true gentleman,’ I was told.”

“Uh. Yes, ma’am. Thank you, Sis-er, Most Holy.”

“I haven’t been crowned yet, Harding. ‘Sister Leliana’ will do.” Smiling almost beatifically, Leliana sat down at her table. “You know where I am.”

* * *

_My dear Lady Harding,_

_I’m sure it comes as no surprise when I tell you that you’re not holding the original draft of this letter in your hands. I do manage to be more eloquent in writing than when speaking, particularly to a charming young woman, but I’ve composed several attempts at writing to you. What you’re receiving, then, is the best result, painstakingly copied._

_Our trip back to Val Royeaux was pleasantly uneventful. I am indebted to your Inquisition scouts who were able to give us such excellent directions; we made very good time following the route they suggested. My colleagues were somewhat surprised by our arriving a full two days ahead of schedule. Colette has been hard at work preparing some of the documents for me, while the other students have started settling back into their usual routines. Thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Inquisition, and the Inquisitor, I will be presenting my findings to what promises to be a sizable audience in three weeks’ time._

_This, then, brings me to the point – rather, to one of the points of this letter. I would like very much to invite you to attend the presentation as my guest. In part this is because you were on hand for so much of the adventure that I feel like you might be able to fill in any gaps in the narrative which I in my excitement may create. Another part is that I know you are very well traveled, and have seen much of Orlais, but I do not recollect you ever mentioning a visit to the University itself. I thought perhaps you might like to see it. I do, after all, owe you my life._

_The third, the final, the chief reason for the invitation is the hardest one to put into words, and the cause of so many discarded drafts prior to this final one. You and I spent so much time together in the Frostback Basin these past months, and your presence was a welcome source of levity and friendship and comfort. Research, even in the presence of so many students and fellow scholars, is often a lonely thing, Lady Harding. But having you there soothed the loneliness. You were even kind enough to laugh at my jokes! I have great admiration and respect for you, and I suppose it’s natural that such things led to affection as well._

_I shall state my case plainly, then. I should very much like to see you again, if you are willing, and enjoy the pleasure of your company without the distraction of work or imminent danger. If the idea is agreeable to you, then I shall hope for an answer to this letter in the near future, and will soon be able to name the day when I am able to escort you through the streets of Val Royeaux as you once escorted me through the wilds of the Frostback Basin. Until then, Maker watch over you._

_Yours most sincerely,_

_Bram Kenric_

* * *

By the time Harding was halfway through her first reading of the letter, in the quiet confines of her little room, her hands were shaking and she found it difficult to understand the words because of it. She put the pages aside and stood, pacing around the room until the unexpected jitters calmed. Picking up the letter once again, she managed to read the entire thing.

She had thought, more than once, that Professor Kenric seemed unusually gracious toward her. She’d been truthful about him to the Inquisitor – he was a _very_ nice man. The absent-mindedness was endearing rather than aggravating, and even now she was amused to remember the high-pitched shriek he emitted every time she stole up on him while he was reading. It had seemed like he might be a little bit taken with her, but she was never entirely certain. Besides, it hadn’t seemed like it was all that important, especially compared with the whole saving-the-world routine that was so much a part of the Inquisition’s daily operations.

But now she had the proof of the matter, in his own unmistakable handwriting. He was, in fact, genuinely attached to her; he _missed_ her; and he wanted to see her again. Sure, he was a human and she was a dwarf, but it hardly seemed to bother him, so why should it bother her?

Slowly, she read through the letter again, soaking up the words like dry ground absorbing the spring rains, letting her fingertips brush lightly over the ink in places. There was something sweetly restrained about the way he wrote, as though he was trying desperately not to overwhelm her with his feelings. She needed to write back, and soon; it wouldn’t do to leave him wondering, after all.

But first, she needed to discuss a few details with Leliana.

* * *

_Dear Professor Kenric,_

_I hope you’ll forgive the slight delay in my response to your very surprising letter. The invitation is incredibly thoughtful, but I needed to talk to my superiors before I could accept it._

_You probably already know that Sister Leliana – the seneschal of the Inquisition, as they call her in the Imperial court – has been selected to serve as the new Divine. Her coronation is happening soon. I talked to her about the arrangements, and she’s agreed to move up her planned departure from Skyhold so that I can still accompany her to Val Royeaux, because she wants me in the retinue for the trip. Once we arrive at the Grand Cathedral, however, I'm free to do whatever I like... and as it happens, what I think I’d really like to do is attend your presentation. I should be there in time. I hope._

_I also had to let my mother know where I’m going. You might remember that we had a conversation one evening about our families, before the Inquisitor joined us in the Basin; but in case you don’t, my parents live near Redcliffe Village, and I’ve been wanting them to visit Skyhold for some time. This trip is going to delay their visit, of course, but they’re terribly proud that their daughter is escorting the future Divine Victoria to Val Royeaux, so they understand. Of course, this does mean I’ll need to return to Skyhold not too long after you complete your presentation, but I’ll stay as long as I can._

_If your schedule isn’t too busy, maybe you can come with me when I come back. You’ve never seen Skyhold, after all, and I’m sure the Inquisitor would like to see you again. Besides, Commander Cullen and Lord Dorian both share your fascination with history and I think you three would have a lot of fun talking. Maybe we can even take a day or two to go visit Thane Sun-Hair’s clan. It would probably be a lot more enjoyable now that the Hakkonites aren’t a problem anymore._

_I’ll end this here so I can send it with a runner at first light. Thank you for inviting me. I’m looking forward to seeing you again._

_Yours,_

_Lace Harding_

_(I don’t know if I ever told you my first name. I’m not fond of it. But I don’t mind you knowing.)_


End file.
